No problem with corrosion with plastic plain bearings in innovative stair-climbing wheelchair

• What was needed: iglidur® plain bearing
• Requirements: For the bearing of the wheels, the bearings had to be able to absorb high radial forces (several thousand newtons) and be corrosion-resistant and maintenance-free. An easy-to-install and cost-effective solution was also sought.
• Industry: Medical technology, wheelchairs
• Success for the customer: iglidur® bearings are robust, wear-resistant, maintenance- and lubrication-free. In addition, the previously occurring corrosion-related clamping problems are a thing of the past.

The TopChair-S is the only electric wheelchair that can climb several steps without the presence of an attendant and without the need for a fixed scaffold. It offers people with reduced mobility a new way of getting around at home, at work or in the city without an attendant. To achieve this, the wheelchair has an innovative dual movement system consisting of four wheels (including two rear drive wheels) for travelling on flat ground and two caterpillar tracks (with rubber toothed belts) for climbing up or down steps. The wheel bearings needed components that could absorb high radial forces (several thousand newtons) and were completely corrosion-resistant and maintenance-free. The designers were also looking for a solution that could be easily installed in the wheelchair while keeping costs as low as possible.

For the movement of the front and rear wheels, it was decided to use our iglidur® plain bearings. These fulfil the bearing requirements of the wheels, which resulted from the area of application. The bearings are particularly robust and can absorb the load resulting from the use of the wheelchair and the weight of the TopChair S. It was also important for a pleasant product experience not to have to carry out any maintenance on the bearings. As the plain bearings are self-lubricating, the manufacturer or user does not need to invest any time in the plastic components. And wear problems and the corrosion-related clamping problems that previously occurred with other bearings are now a thing of the past. The iglidur® materials and their various compositions can be individually defined and customised for each application. This means that the perfect bearing solution can always be found for every requirement profile.